


The Sixth Day

by k_mission



Series: Everything I've Written About Destiny Sort of in Chronological Order [5]
Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, But blood and injury, Not Really Graphic Violence, Red War, Writing Prompt, cross posted from tumblr, cw: eye injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-30
Updated: 2020-05-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:47:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24460777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/k_mission/pseuds/k_mission
Summary: The young Titan watched the sun begin to rise above the mountain range. Day six, he thought to his Ghost. Six days longer than he'd expected to be alive. Six days since he'd first glimpsed the City and seen humanity's last refuge fall. Six days of wondering if his short second life would mean anything. But as he turned to look over the group of refugees huddled together for shelter and warmth in the cave, he knew that it would—as long as he managed to get these people somewhere safe. He just didn't have the slightest clue where safety was, now that the City was lost.A fresh Titan and a more experienced Hunter attempt to shepherd a group of refugees through the mountains and away from the Cabal occupied Last City, knowing that survival is anything but guaranteed.
Series: Everything I've Written About Destiny Sort of in Chronological Order [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1295951
Kudos: 6





	The Sixth Day

**Author's Note:**

> So this took. Forever. I kept rewriting it because it didn’t seem angsty *enough* and then forgetting it for a month before coming back and doing the same thing. Not sure it’s peak angst even now, but it is hella long. (Also not sure this is the official story about how this happened because Edwin’s had a scarred eye since D1 but ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ )

The young Titan watched the sun begin to rise above the mountain range. _Day six_ , he thought to his Ghost. Six days longer than he'd expected to be alive. Six days since he'd first glimpsed the City and seen humanity's last refuge fall. Six days of wondering if his short second life would mean anything. But as he turned to look over the group of refugees huddled together for shelter and warmth in the cave, he knew that it would—as long as he managed to get these people somewhere safe. He just didn't have the slightest clue where safety was, now that the City was lost.

So far they'd stayed alive by staying in motion, creeping from building to building until they'd made it outside the walls. Moving from cover to cover into the mountains. They were further from the Red Legion's main force, but there were still too many Cabal to make breathing any easier, especially with far fewer places to hide. And where enemies could drop from the sky with little warning, any time exposed was a life or death risk.

He ducked inside and let his back rest against the cave wall as he tried to take stock of the group's situation. A few of the survivors clutched scavenged weapons, though most didn't seem to know much about how to use them. There was the occasional low murmur of comfort, but no conversation. Fewer people made eye contact with his visor. Maybe the others were beginning to realize the same things the Titan had—they weren't out of danger and they had no destination. Many of them had seen other Guardians die, and they all knew by now that he and Edwin, the Hunter he'd run into, were on their last life, just like anyone else. The only advantage they had was their armour, and in his case, his Ghost. He wondered if the group had noticed yet that Edwin's was missing, that he'd been favouring his left leg. For all their reassurances, they couldn't offer much more than the idea they’d be able to keep everyone safe.

The sound of a Cabal pod hitting the ground immediately pulled him from his thoughts. The Titan peeked out to see if he could pinpoint the source. Wherever it was, it wasn't in his line of sight. There were shots, at a pitch and a pattern they were all too familiar with now. As the sound of the firefight continued, he could tell it was coming from the south, the same direction Edwin had gone to scout for their next move.

Within a few minutes, everything fell silent again. He could hear the rustle of restless shifting from the civilians, but he didn't turn to look. He kept watch, gun ready, listening as hard as he could.

There was nothing.

He worked through the possibilities: full squad of Cabal defeated; psions creeping up on him, getting his head in their sights; Edwin dead and the Cabal heading the other direction; Edwin dead and the Cabal waiting, searching in case he wasn't alone.

The sun was climbing higher in the sky. He'd have to make a decision, and soon. Risk staying, risk moving—consequences of either heavy on his shoulders.

“Don't shoot.” He heard the Hunter's voice first, before Edwin came into view.

His hand had twitched on the trigger, but he took the first full, easy breath he'd drawn since he'd heard the Cabal land. That relief was short-lived. If he'd been looking scrappy when he left to go scout ahead, Edwin was looking extremely rough now. His armour was right down to the under layer in some places, and there was a dent so deep in his helmet the visor had cracked and splintered inward.

“Shit,” the Titan said quietly, taking a quick step forward and ushering him into the cave. “What happened?”

“They dropped out of nowhere.” Edwin took a seat on a boulder near the cave entrance. “East looks safest.”

'Safest' was a very relative term, the Titan thought, still eyeing the Hunter's damage. Something dripped from his helmet. At first he thought it was the dark fluid that burst from Cabal armour. It was only when more ran down over the Hunter's chest he saw the red of it that he recognized it for what it was—blood.

“We should move,” Edwin was saying. “Before it's fully light.”

“You're hurt.”

“I'm fine.”

He didn't look it, though, and when he tried to get back to his feet, he needed the wall for support. The Titan pushed him back down with a firm hand on his shoulder. If he was going to pass out, it was far better done when they had cover. “Let me see.”

Edwin didn't say anything for a minute, but eventually he lifted his hands and started trying to extricate himself from the damaged helmet. As soon as he got it partway undone, more blood oozed out. The dented section made it hard to remove, with a sharp tug and a strangled noise of pain, Edwin pulled it free, revealing the extent of the damage. The Titan was glad that his own helmet was still intact, hiding his reaction.

“That's... a lot of blood.”

“Head wounds bleed a lot,” Edwin answered through gritted teeth.

“No, it's really bleeding.”

“It's f—”

“If you say fine, I _will_ shoot you.”

Edwin made a noise of acknowledgement. The small glimmer of satisfaction in winning the point faded quickly—he had no idea what to do. There was certainly a word that started with 'F' to describe his eye, and it was not 'fine'. By his Ghost's estimation, Edwin was already working with broken ribs and a potentially fractured foot, and he'd insisted he was fine through all of that, too. This seemed worse. From the way it looked, pieces of his visor had cut the Hunter's face and pierced his eye as it shattered. So far first aid had been a Ghost, but Edwin's wasn't here.

“I have some med gel,” one of the refugees said, coming forward.

Edwin tried to wave her off. “You might need it.”

“You need it right now.”

Edwin looked like he was going to argue back, but stopped when the Titan shifted his gun ever so slightly. Not that he'd have made good on the threat, but they needed everyone in as close to working order as they could get. Especially their scout.

As the civilian administered first aid, the Titan took watch again, scanning relentlessly for signs of further incoming trouble. He didn't see any, but he heard it. The familiar thundering crash of more drop pods. The ground shook, dust and rubble fell from the cave ceiling. _They're coming._ The thought seized him, wouldn't let him go. _They're coming they're coming they're coming they never stop._

He heard a hushed sound of fear ripple through the group. The Hunter was by his side a second later, waving off the civilian as he finished sticking medical tape down across the gauze.

“They know they lost a squad out here, they'll be looking for who did it,” Edwin said. He kept his voice down, but the Titan wondered if it was enough.

“They're not going to find us.”

“I don't have a lot left,” he continued, more quietly, so no one else would hear.

“No.” The Titan was surprised with how firm his answer sounded. But he would not let anyone else die. Not today, not tomorrow. He knew enough to understand sacrifice was something duty might demand of a Guardian at the end, but this wasn't the end; he wasn't going to let it be. Not yet. He turned towards the group and gestured for them to back up. With everyone pressed to the rear of the cave, there was a better chance the Cabal sensors wouldn't pick them up. The entrance was just curved enough to hide them from view. If they didn't panic, if they held still, if there was anything left in the universe looking out for them...

The sound of the Cabal troop movement came closer. He saw the Hunter shift his position beside him, checking how many bullets he had left, getting ready to throw himself between the first thing that entered the cave and the civilians. The Titan silently did the same.

The thundering seemed to be right above them, just outside, coming from every direction. The _THUD THUD THUD_ echoed through the cavern, through his skull, until the pounding of his heart rose to meet it and pushed it through his veins. There was no escaping this.

What if he was wrong? Had stopping the Hunter from going back out cost the rest of them their lives?

There was a halting silence. Found. Cornered. Nowhere to run. He knew Edwin's gun had two empty chambers. He had one clip.

What if it would have been better to give up one life for the rest? It could have been him. Then everyone else would be safe. He couldn't spare a glance behind him to the civilians, but he could see them all the same. They'd followed a battered veteran and Light fresh out of the dirt all this way, and their front line of protection had three good eyes and one Ghost between them.

And now his hands shook, too.

He felt the Hunter's elbow bump him gently. “Easy, kid. Breathe.”

Easy to say. Impossible to do.

“They need you.”

Edwin shifted, bringing his gun up and ready, and before he finished the movement, the Titan _knew_. He didn't think about it. He reached out and grabbed a fistful of Edwin's ragged cloak just as he was about to lunge, pulling him backward with all of his strength. The Hunter struggled, but he didn't let go. Maybe one of them would have to throw themselves to the Cabal to buy the survival of the rest, but not until he knew for certain it was necessary. He couldn't take any more deaths.

None of them could. Through the pounding in his ears and the wild, screeching panic of his thoughts one thing was suddenly clear. He wasn't just trying to keep these people alive—he had to keep their hope and morale alive, too. And if Guardians could die, if they kept dying, how much easier was it for the rest of them? Even if he knew he wasn't any more qualified to be making calls than any of the refugees, probably _less_ , the idea of a Guardian still seemed to mean something. A myth or a lie that gave comfort when there was none of substance to be had.

The thunderous sound of the Legion's movements began again. Drilling into his skull, and then slowly, mercifully, fading away. He let go of his hold on Edwin's cloak and sagged back against the wall. They'd stolen a little more time. The Hunter gave him a brief nod—he couldn't tell if it was thanks or acknowledgement—and crept along to check if the coast was clear. This time he didn't try to stop him.

The Titan's Ghost materialized, gently nudging the side of his helmet.

“ _So what do you think?”_ he asked silently. _“Going to make it a month of being a Ghost with a Guardian?”_

“ _Yes.”_

“ _Sorry about your timing.”_

“ _I'm not. You remind me of something a legendary Titan said once: 'You are the shield, and the Light keeps you standing.' But even without the Light, you're still standing. I think I found you right when you were needed most.”_

Another advantage of helmets, he realized, was as long as you kept it on, only your Ghost would know when you were getting misty-eyed.


End file.
